Cardiovascular Services

Hybrid Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

Our hybrid Atrial Fibrillation (AF) program is a newer development which combines minimally-invasive epicardial radiofrequency ablation (ablation on the outside of the heart) with endocardial cryoablation, done directly within the heart’s chambers.  This is used for patients who experience persistent AF following multiple previous ablations, or when the left atrium is severely enlarged.  We feel this procedure is the most painless for our patients, with the shortest postoperative length of stay, and we are seeing a high success rate with our process.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR)

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair, or TMVR is the only approved alternative to Mitral Regurgitation (MR) surgery.  It is a less-invasive treatment option for elderly patients, those with comorbidities, and other at-risk populations who are not candidates for open heart surgery.  This non-invasive procedure has been shown to reduce MR, improve symptoms and reduce the number of recurrent hospitalizations for heart failure 

During the procedure, a catheter containing the MitraClip® device is inserted via the femoral vein guide and guided through the venous system to the heart where it the MitraClip is positioned at the mitral valve.  The MitraClip is opened up so that it grabs both mitral valve leaflets and eliminates regurgitation. 

Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion

Atrial fibrillation, the leading cause of stroke, is a condition where the upper chambers of your heart (atria) beat too fast and irregularly. This causes blood to pool and can form clots in part of your heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA). If a blood clot forms, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

Drugs can cut the risk of blood clots that could lead to stroke in AFib. While warfarin is effective for many patients, long-term use is not well tolerated by some, due to a variety of reasons (i.e., risk of bleeding, food limits, or frequent blood draws). 

The Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion device is a new alternative to blood-thinning drugs in patients with atrial fibrillation. It is placed inside the LAA of your heart to permanently close off this small pouch and keep harmful blood clots from entering your bloodstream. After the procedure, most patients are able to stop taking blood-thinning drugs.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

For patients who are not able to have traditional open-heart surgery, a new procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is now available as a treatment option. Concord Medical Center is one of the original three hospitals in the Bay Area and less than 430 nationwide that is now performing TAVR procedures. In a TAVR procedure, the surgeon replaces the aortic valve in the heart using a catheter approach, thus eliminating the need for an open heart surgery. This remarkable new procedure provides the opportunity for a significant improvement in quality of life.